R3 Firearm and Bow Hunter Safety and Education Program (TO STATE F&G AGENCIES ONLY) | F17AS00095

Opportunity Information: Apply for F17AS00095

The R3 Firearm and Bow Hunter Safety and Education Program is a mandatory federal grant program administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act framework. It traces back to the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937, which originally focused on wildlife habitat restoration, wildlife management research, and sharing information generated by those projects. In 1970, Congress expanded that authority to explicitly support hunter safety programs and the development, operation, and maintenance of firearm and archery ranges. Later, Congress concluded that states needed more dedicated support to keep hunter education and shooting range opportunities strong, especially as participation, recruitment, and long-term hunting traditions faced modern challenges. That concern led to the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs Improvement Act of 2000, which created the Firearm and Bowhunter Education and Safety Program (commonly referred to as “Section 10”).

At its core, Section 10 sets aside dedicated annual funding (initially $7.5 million in 2001 and 2002, and $8 million each year thereafter in the description provided) for states to enhance existing hunter education and shooting range efforts. The key word is enhance: these funds are intended to supplement, not replace, the standard Pittman-Robertson hunter education funding (often referenced as Section 4(c)). Congress’s intent was to make sure states not only had baseline hunter education programs, but also invested consistent effort in recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) activities, safety instruction, and range capacity so future participation in hunting and shooting sports remained viable.

Eligible applicants are limited to state governments, specifically state fish and game agencies (as indicated in the title). The program supports a broad set of activities that strengthen hunter education, hunter development, and firearm and archery safety. “Hunter development” is framed as recruitment and introduction work, helping new participants get involved in hunting, bowhunting, target shooting, or archery in a safe and structured way. The program also allows funding to improve interstate coordination, which can include collaborative work across states to align training standards, share curricula, or coordinate range and education initiatives that cross borders.

The grant can be used to enhance bowhunter and archer education and safety, and it also has a clear infrastructure component. States may use funds to construct or develop firearm and archery ranges and related facilities, and to update safety features at existing ranges. That can include building or improving classrooms, shooting ranges, and other supporting facilities needed to deliver instruction. In addition, the program recognizes the importance of program improvement and evaluation, allowing states to gather information needed to develop, implement, and assess hunter education and safety grants. It also explicitly includes trapper education when tied to safety and responsibility, humane trapping methods, avoiding non-target species, and developing trapping skills. Finally, it supports communication and outreach about Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) grant-funded hunter education and recreational shooting sports activities, reinforcing public awareness and participation.

From the opportunity metadata provided, this funding opportunity is listed as F17AS00095, categorized as a mandatory grant in the Education and Natural Resources activity areas, under CFDA 15.626. The agency is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The original closing date shown is 2017-08-31, and an award ceiling of $5,000,000 is listed, though the number of expected awards is shown as 0 in the source snapshot (which may reflect how the listing was recorded rather than the broader Section 10 apportionment process). Overall, the program is designed to strengthen state-led hunter and shooting sports education systems by improving safety training, expanding or upgrading ranges and training facilities, supporting data-driven program management, and increasing coordinated efforts that keep hunting and archery participation safe and sustainable over time.

• The Fish and Wildlife Service in the education, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "R3 Firearm and Bow Hunter Safety and Education Program (TO STATE F&G AGENCIES ONLY)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.626.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-12-29.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-08-31. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

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